A Summer Without the Sun
by Malfoy-Slytherin
Summary: Ginny Weasley comes to Hogwarts her fourth year hearing a voice in her head that only she can hear. Someone who really needs her help. Who is it and how can she help them?
1. The Voice

A Summer Without the Sun  
  
Summary: Ginny Weasley comes to Hogwarts her fourth year hearing a voice in her head that only she can hear. Someone who really needs her help. Who is it and how can she help them? Rating: PG, may go up  
  
iI stared out the window of the train, watching the rain splatter against the glass. The low hanging clouds and endless drops of rain exactly matched my mood. It was ironic that it had to rain the first day I got to enjoy the summer. Even then, though, it wasn't very enjoyable. I was heading back to school today, away from Father and Mother and that awful, terrible summer without the sun.i  
  
Chapter 1: The Voice  
  
Crabbe and Goyle were lost. They wandered up and down the train pointlessly, stopping only to buy handfuls of sweets from the squat vendor witch. Neither boy had been able to find Malfoy, and without him, they didn't know what to do. Ron Weasley watched them pass their compartment for the fifth time when he finally called out to them.  
  
"Did you lose your leader?" he asked snidely. They stopped and regarded him blankly, munching on a few Cauldron Cakes. Ron raised an eyebrow. He looked at Harry, who was sitting beside him, also looking at Malfoy's buffoons quizzically.  
  
"What? Did you forget who we are?" Harry asked appraisingly.  
  
"Er- we lost him," said Crabbe dully.  
  
"Yeah," Goyle agreed, shoving another Cauldron Cake into his mouth, crumbs tumbling down his robes.  
  
"Who?" asked Ron. He sneaked another glance at Harry, who was staring at them in disbelief.  
  
"Draco," Goyle replied simply. He tore open a Chocolate Frog with his teeth and crammed it in his mouth in one bite. He nudged Goyle with his toe. "Where do you reckon he went?" he asked with his mouth full.  
  
Goyle shrugged. "Let's go this way," he said. Together, they left.  
  
Ron shook his head at Harry. "Pathetic," he said. "Without Ferret Boy to boss them around, they don't even know who their enemies are!"  
  
"I bet they wouldn't even know what house they were in," Harry chimed in. He turned to his own pile of sweets. "Alright there, Ginny?" he asked. Ginny had been sitting with them, unusually quiet. She jumped when Harry addressed her.  
  
"What- oh, yes, Harry," she said quickly. She scrambled to her feet. "I'm going for a walk," she announced to no one in particular and walked out of the compartment. She didn't see the puzzled glances Ron and Harry exchanged or the questioning looks they sent Hermione.  
  
Ginny walked nervously down the corridor, breathing a sigh of relief. She scolded herself mentally for reacting so obviously when Harry had spoken to her. "You don't like him anymore, remember?" she chided. "Don't act like such a prat." She wondered stupidly for a moment if Harry could read what she was thinking. If not, he could probably see it on her face. It wasn't her fault that she was hearing a strange voice.  
  
iNow I can breathe a sigh of relief, though. It's over, it's finally over. No more dark dungeons and cold chains. No more harsh voices and painful curses. Maybe now I can be me, be fifteen years old again and a good, real wizard, not a cowardly, wretched servant of an evil man.i  
  
Ginny stopped. 'How terrible!' she thought. She could never imagine being treated that badly. She loved the summer holidays and would probably never be so desperate to go to school. Sure, she loved Hogwarts and everything, but to long to go back to loads of homework and strict professors? Ginny did not think so.  
  
She stumbled as the train came to a stop. Soon the corridor was filled with noisy students. Losing hope of finding Harry, Ron and Hermione in the crowd, she let it carry her toward an exit. Even over the din, she heard the voice, drawling on tonelessly.  
  
iFinally, we're here. Day one of a normal life for me. Now it's just time to act normal; pretend that nothing ever happened.i  
  
As Ginny was pushed into a horseless carriage, a wave of sympathy ran over her. She ignored the chattering third years who sat beside her and listened for the voice to speak again. It did not return as she was ushered up the steps, nor through the Sorting or at all during the feast. She picked at her food, tuning out the talk around her.  
  
"What's wrong, Ginny?" Harry asked her worriedly.  
  
Ginny shook her head. "Oh, nothing," she replied. "Just a bit tired."  
  
Harry shrugged. Ginny did not notice Hermione glancing at her strangely for the second time that day. In fact, she didn't notice anything except for Dumbledore, dismissing the students off to bed. She walked quickly with Hermione, who was naturally a prefect, and headed straight to her dormitory before anyone could question her.  
  
As her eyes closed slowly, the voice sounded again. Her eyes snapped open as she listened to its morbid monologue:  
  
iThey're noticing... everyone is. I thought I had been doing a good job covering up and acting as I usually do. Looks like I need to brush up on my actings skills... Wish I could go and see Professor- 'Professor Who?' Ginny wondered- he always seems to help... Guess I'll just have to wait until tomorrow...Tomorrow, oh no, classes... I can't do...i  
  
The voice faded away. Long after silence reigned the dormitories, Ginny laid awake, wondering and worrying. 


	2. Trouble in Class

Disclaimer: I realise that I did not put one of these on my first chapter, so here it is: I do not, unfortunately, own the world of Harry Potter and all of his friends and acquantances. But I do visit every so often to play around and confuse them with my own adventures.  
  
A/N: I noticed that my italics don't work. Darn. Well, I'm going to use asterisks instead. For those of you who find those annoying, I apologise profusely. Oh, and any suggestions on how to fix that are welcome! Thanks to all my dear reviewers!  
  
Chapter 2: Trouble in Class  
  
*... the sun is out this morning. It looks so strange, like I have never seen it before. But it's really been only three months. There's so much color and brightness. I never want to see black and gray again. I want this color to stay.*  
  
Ginny woke to the strange musings of the Voice. It sounded so curious and innocent. 'Imagine feeling like you've never seen the sun!' she thought, dismayed. Yawning, she looked at her Muggle clock. Unfortunately, the owner of the voice was an early riser. 'Well, I guess it's time for me to become one too.' She climbed out of bed and got ready for the day.  
  
The voice was quiet until the middle of Potions, the very worst time to be hearing voices, especially for Ginny, being a Gryffindor and a Weasley.  
  
The voice sighed. *There's perfect Potter and his little admirers. Bet he has nothing to worry about. He probably had the best summer out of everyone. Wish I could be that carefree.*  
  
'Ah, so our dear voice is jealous!' Ginny though triumphantly. However, her feelings showed on her face and Snape noticed.  
  
"Miss Weasley," he chided, his usual smirk in place, "Need I remind you that the holidays are over and everyone except you are in class. Can't afford to get behind on the first day."  
  
"Sorry, Professor, it won't happen again," Ginny apologized, avoiding eye contact. Snape had always scared her, almost as much as Lucius Malfoy.  
  
"I should think not," he growled and swept away, continuing his lecture on Forgetfulness Potions. Ginny sighed. That couldn't have been good! She carefully concentrated the rest of the lesson, determined not to let Snape or the Voice get the better of her.  
  
That afternoon in Transfiguration, however, Professor McGonagall was *not* pleased at all. "Miss Weasley!" she exclaimed, "For the last time, please keep your comments to yourself!"  
  
Ginny nodded and blushed embarrassedly. Without thinking, she had replied loudly to something the Voice had said. Unfortunately, that reply had been somewhat rude and quite out of place in a Transfiguration lesson. The entire class had burst into fits of laughter. Ginny left the room later feeling very stupid indeed.  
  
A/N 2: Sorry that was a bit short. The next one is longer, I promise. Review please! 


	3. Tears like Blood

A/N: Hello my dear readers! My computer was down for quite some time, sorry for the long wait. Enjoy and please review!  
  
Chapter 3: Tears like Blood  
  
Ginny sighed and plopped tiredly into an armchair. 'What a day!' she exclaimed silently, 'I didn't realise fourth year was going to be so hard!' She looked up as the portrait hole opened and Ron clambered in, arguing loudly with Hermione.  
  
"I don't *care* what Harry says. That slimy git has no right to be so mean! I'd love to just wipe the smirk off his face. And while I'm at it, why not disfigure Malfoy as well?" he exclaimed, punctuating his words by tossing his books on a nearby table and missing.  
  
Hermione looked puzzled. "Why Malfoy?" she asked, "He hasn't done anything to you."  
  
"Yet," Ton cut in. "But I shouldn't need a reason to do him in; just the fact that he lives and breathes is enough for me!"  
  
Ginny watched, amused, as Hermione fought back her laughter to give Ron a stern look. "Well, what did Snape do now?" she asked Ron to prevent him from noticing this.  
  
"He gave Harry two nights of detention for running out of lionfish spines," he replied disgustedly. He shook his head and pulled at his collar. "Harry says that it was his fault that he ran out, but I don't know. Maybe Snape took them somehow. Wouldn't put it past him." he muttered.  
  
"I think Harry's right," Ginny said, "Snape wouldn't *really* do something like that." Ron shook his head again, grumbling. Ginny froze. She heard another voice grumbling louder than her brother's.  
  
*Oh no, an owl. I don't want to answer it. I won't. I don't even want to read it. Go away, go away...*  
  
Ginny jumped up and ran to her dormitory. She didn't want Ron to notice her strange behaviour. A few moments later, the voice continued bitterly:  
  
*That evil, evil man! How dare he speak to me that way? I've been faithful to him, followed his every order. I've tortured people who would otherwise be my friends on his sick fancy. I get neither thanks nor reward for what I do... Perhaps someday I'll poison his food and be rid of him...*  
  
Ginny gasped loudly. Her body was tense and rigid, her hands trembling wildly. The owner of the voice sounded so much like a Death Eater and a little familiar. 'Is he talking about You-Know-Who?' she wondered to herself. She quickly scanned the small list of thing she knew about the voice. It was most definitely male, but it was soft, almost weary, like a young person who has experienced far too many bad things for his age. He was the servant of an evil man and had spent the summer in a dark, cramped place. Ginny could not even begin to guess who it was.  
  
~  
  
"Oy, Harry, we'll be late if you don't hurry!"  
  
Breakfast on Halloween morning was rushed for the Gryffindors. Fred and George had kept everyone up very late making plans for a spectacular prank on the Slytherins. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were now trying to down a quick meal before class. At Ron's words, Harry threw down his napkin. As they moved off to the dungeons, Fred and George winked at them. The fifth years' part in the prank was to occur in their first and most dangerous class: Potions. They headed off.  
  
Ginny, who had watched this exchange, hurried off as well to Charms, very worried for the wellbeing of her sibling and friends. She supposed that each of them would be in detention for a very long time. The voice had been silent al morning until, in the middle of Charms, it cried:  
  
*No, don't punish them. You don't know that they did it... Please, give him a chance to speak!* Then, almost sadly, *He really didn't deserve that. Why did you do it? He really tries hard to please you and you never give him a chance. He really REALLY didn't deserve that.*  
  
The voice faded away sadly. For a long moment, Ginny sat, ashen faced, gripping the edge of her seat tightly. Was it really You-Know-Who? Was the voice one of his Death Eaters who didn't condone the killing of innocent people? Professor Flitwick continued to lecture, but she paid no attention. The voice continued, softer, tender:  
  
*I'm so sorry. I'm sure that he wasn't thinking. You really didn't deserve that... Please, don't be so down, it doesn't suit you. Go to your friends, they want to comfort you... Maybe there's something I can do.*  
  
~  
  
The Great Hall was decorated twice as much as usual, it seemed. In addition to hundreds of jack-o-lanterns, a few bubbling cauldrons stood in corners, emitting intriguing aromas. Jars of sweets were also placed around the roon, out of which, when a hungry student went to take some, popped a menacing hand to protect its delicious treasures.  
  
Ginny followed Hermione to the Gryffindor table quietly. Usually, the Halloween feast was one of the best of the year, with a complete menu of desserts and delicacies, but Ginny was too distraught over the voice's musings to enjoy it.  
  
She glimpsed Harry as she reached her seat and a lightbulb flipped on. 'Harry!' she thought. 'Harry would know if You-Know-Who was causing trouble! Why didn't I think of it before?' But as she turned to ask him, the voice cut in:  
  
*What are **you** doing here? Go away, I don't want you near me...  
  
It sounded extremely tense and angry. Ginny bit her lip in agitation. 'Be careful!' she silently warned the voice, thinking of the many awful spells You-Know-Who could perform.  
  
*Threats. You and your threats. I'm not afraid of you anymore, so don't ever think you can scare me. I'm older now, not a little, helpless boy now... I don't care what you say or who you'll get, I want you to leave. Now. Ginny jumped at the exclaimation of pain and rage that she heard next I knew you had some evil reason for coming here. Why do you do this to me? Why can't you leave me alone?*  
  
By this time, Harry had noticed Ginny's pale, aghast face. "Ginny?" he questioned worriedly, "Ginny, what's wrong?" The voice's ravings covered up Harry's calls, which were soon joined by Ron's and Hermione's.  
  
*I can't see how doing this brings you pleasure. Beating on someone smaller than you Ginny gasped audibly shouldn't give you a sense of power...I hate you. But you know that, right? You always know everything... But you do realise that I am going to kill you. If I must lose sleep in order to learn Avada Kedavra, so be it. But just wait, Lucius Malfoy. I WILL kill you.*  
  
Ginny's eyes widened. Lucius Malfoy?! The very thought of him sent unpleasant cold-finger chills cascading down her spine. It was because of Lucius Malfoy that Tom had come into her life and nearly killed her. It was his face that haunted her nightmares. To Ginny, Lucius Malfoy was almost as bad as Voldemort himself.  
  
*Of course, I will forgive you. I'm too soft-hearted to---*  
  
The words were cut off abruptly. They had been heavy with emotion: pain and intense sorrow. Ginny's heart squeezed as she considered the reason for the sharp cutoff. She slowly became aware of Harry shaking her urgently. "H-he's hurt," she choked out finally.  
  
"Who?" Harry asked, concern tracing his brilliant green eyes.  
  
As Ginny moved her lips soundlessly, trying to force her vocal chords to move, Harry, Ron and Hermione leaned in closer.  
  
"I don't know." 


	4. Silver and Shadow

A/N: Again, sorry for the long wait. Sadly, I always seem to find time to write only when I do not have access to a computer. Isn't that just the way? Thank you for being patient. Please enjoy.  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine, not mine, not mine. All belongs to Ms. Rowling.  
  
Chapter 4: Silver and Shadow  
  
Ginny was too upset to eat anything. Excusing herself quietly, she left the Great Hall and wandered the school aimlessly. As she walked, she wrung her hands and wondered aloud to herself. "Who could it be?" she asked for the hundredth time. She now knew that Lucius Malfoy was somehow involved, and not in a good way. "Who is he hurting now?"  
  
She paused by a large mirror near the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom. The Ginny in the mirror was much paler than normal, making her vibrant hair and myriad freckles stand out startingly. Her usually warm brown eyes were wide and frightened. The mirror said nothing, much to her relief. As she stood gazing blankly at her reflection, she glimpsed a black shadow passing behind her. Spooked, she whipped around. There was no one there. The corridor spread on each side of her, quiet and empty. Puzzled, Ginny looked behind a suit of armour. No one there, either.  
  
"It couldn't possibly have gone into the classroom. I didn't hear a door open," she said in disbelief. She briefly considered finding Harry or even Ron to come and help figure out this mystery. But by then, she reasoned, the thing, whatever it was, could have left. Then she would feel very stupid indeed. Finally, she the corridor, wary of running in the shadow at every corner. Strangely, the Voice had been silent for quite some time now and she began to worry.  
  
A distant murmur now caught her attention. It was not the Voice. She had unknowingly reached the Hospital Wing. Curious, Ginny crept behind a statue to watch.  
  
"Watch his head at the corner now," warned Madam Pomfrey, who had just appeared. She and Professor Snape were carrying the still form of a student. Ginny's eyes widened at the sight of blood soaking through the boy's torn robes and dripping onto the stone floor. Snape's hands and robes were likewise stained red.  
  
Professor McGonagall came hurrying up. "My goodness, what has happened here?" she exclaimed softly.  
  
"I found him in the far storage dungeon," Snape explained. "He was mumbling something and convulsing. After he passed out, I summoned Poppy." He seemed to steel himself. "Whoever did this was not a student. The presence of Dark Magic was very strong around him. I think the Cruciatus Curse was used as well." The other two teacher drew back in shock.  
  
"I- I'll get Dumbledore," McGonagall said faintly.  
  
As Snape and Madam Pomfrey started carefully up the steps with their patient, Ginny got a better look. He was slight and pale and very cut and bruised. His silver-blond hair was encrusted in blood and sweat. His head and hands hung down limply, nearly touching the floor. She turned from the sight, sickened. After making sure the teachers had gone through the door, she dashed up to Gryffindor tower, careful to avoid the large red puddle in the middle of the floor.  
  
~  
  
Harry looked up as Ginny leaped white-faced through the portrait hole. Pausing only to looked around, she spotted him and went to his side.  
  
"Ginny, what's wrong?" he asked, concerned.  
  
Panting and gesturing wildly, Ginny related her story of the Voice up to seeing the shadow in the hall. Harry listened in shock until she finished. "You don't think its Vol- er, You-Know-Who, do you?" he whispered, agitated.  
  
Ginny shook her head violently. "No, I just saw him! They were bringing him to the Hospital Wing. He was dripping blood and Snape he mumbled and---"  
  
Harry cut off her rambling. "Who is it then?"  
  
"It's Draco Malfoy."  
  
A/N 2: For those of you who guessed correctly, excellent, ten points to Slytherin. While I did like the suggestion of Wormtail, I decided not to go there. Stay tuned. 


	5. Prayers and Pleading

Chapter 5: Prayers and Pleading  
  
Harry stared at Ginny. "Malfoy," he said simply. She nodded. "Malfoy as in 'I'm-the-stud-of-Slytherin-so-don't-mess-with-me-or-I'll-tell' Malfoy?" She nodded again. To her surprise, he chuckled. "Fell off his broom, did he? Trip over his feet, eh?"  
  
"No, no!" she cried, perplexed.  
  
"Or did he run into a wall? That would have been funny to see. Or maybe--"  
  
"NO!" Ginny exclaimed, stomping her foot in exasperation. "I'm being serious! He's very hurt, and I think his dad did it!" Again, Harry stared. Finaly, he took a deep breath and said, "Do you think he's all right?"  
  
Ginny shrugged.  
  
"There's a way you can find out," he replied mysteriously. "Wait here."  
  
~  
  
Ginny stepped cautiously up to the stairs to the Hospital Wing. Harry's Invisibility Cloak was wrapped around her and the Marauder's Map was clutched tightly in her fist. With shaking hands, she pulled the door open, hoping no one was awake and watching. Being invisible was something that needed getting used to.  
  
Moonlight flooded into the room, casting eerie shadows over the white beds. To her relief, all were empty except for one, which was shut off by white curtains. Ginny tiptoed down the aisle and slipped inside the cubicle, making the curtains swish only very slightly.  
  
She barely recognised the face of the boy sleeping in front of her. His pale face was crisscrossed with strikingly red scratches and curse marks still glistening with blood. The normally sleek blond hair fell over his forehead in disarray, also encrusted in red stain. An ugly purple bruise covered most of his left cheek. Draco Malfoy slept on with a troubled expression on his face.  
  
In shock, Ginny let Harry's cloak slide to the floor and perched on the edge of the bed. She lifted up his hand and gasped. Not only was it ice cold, it was very stiff. Ginny quickly turned it over to check for a pulse and nearly cried out. Draco's wrist was a mass of scars; purplish lines left over from numberless cuts and slashes. Feeling a weak but definite beat, she relaxed a little, but her fear was lessened only slightly. Why was he doing this to himself? she wondered.  
  
Suddenly, she felt Draco's fingers move in her grasp. Heart in her throat, Ginny dropped his hand and leapt off the bed, throwing Harry's cloak over her.  
  
Draco sat up sharply. "Who's there?" he whispered loudly. His pale, bloodshot eyes swept around the enclosure. Ginny held her breath each time they passed over her. They stopped at a spot not two feet from where she lay. "Show yourself!" he commanded, trying to sound intimidating, but coming out very weak and scared.  
  
Ginny followed his line of vision and nearly died. Her foot was not underneath the cloak and was in plain sight of Draco. "Oh no," she groaned inwardly. "What am I going to do now?"  
  
Just then, the Voice broke in, breathing shallowly and cursing rapidly,  
  
*Please don't be him! Someone help!.....Oh please, PLEASE don't let it be him!!..."  
  
Ginny realised that she couldn't turn back now. Slowly, shakily, she stood up, watching Draco's eyes widen in horror as her foot, the only part of her he could see, moved. "Don't be afraid," she whispered. "I'm not going to hurt you." Her voice sounded small and scared, too. All the while, the Voice continued its frantic rambling.  
  
Draco swallowed. "Who are you?" he asked softly, emboldened by the feminine voice.  
  
Taking a deep breath, she let Harry's cloak slip off her body. Draco stared at her for a long moment, as if he expected her to morph into his worst nightmare. "Weasley?" he questioned in disbelief. Ginny merely nodded.  
  
"It was you, then, who was just here, holding my hand?"  
  
Another nod.  
  
To her surprise, he relaxed visibly and leaned back into the pillow. Ginny let out the breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. It didn't seem like he was going to start calling for Madam Pomfrey, or curse her, for that matter. Tentatively, she stepped forward. Draco said nothing, just watched her steadily, as if he knew she was no danger to him. She continued forward.  
  
"How did you know?" he asked as she reached his side.  
  
Ginny didn't really know where to begin. "I-I've been hearing your voice... nearly all summer... in my head," she stammered, not expecting him to believe her.  
  
Again, he looked relieved. "I know. I put a charm on you at the end of the school year. It took a while to get my part right, but you were the most important part."  
  
Sitting down again, Ginny frowned. "I don't understand."  
  
"I knew this summer would be bad. But no one would believe me if I told them my father was abusing me. He's got a reputation to keep up, you know. But I knew he was getting impatient. He wants me to join the Dark Lord as soon as possible. But I don't want to. I fought him all last school year about it." He paused briefly. "My father doesn't give up that easily, though. It began even before I arrived home. I had never expected it to be so bad. So I had to do something; contact someone. And that someone, I decided, was you."  
  
"Why me?" Ginny asked, intrigued.  
  
"Everyone in Slytherin somehow supports the Dark Lord's cause, or are at least *leaning* that way. And I obviously couldn't pick your brother or his friends; they'd never help, they'd laugh! And Potter, well..." he trailed off. His attention turned to the scars that traced his wrists, but his eyes were unfocused and etched in pain. "I've been so awful to him. Why would he help *me*?" Ginny noticed he sounded sad, remorseful. He gave a short, unhappy laugh. "Besides, he'd think it was the Dark Lord or one of his followers meeting their deserved punishment. Never me."  
  
Draco stopped, still looking down, running a fingertip over his palm, following the creases and lines. "So why you?" he continued. "You seemed to be the only person who would look past what House I was in, past the way I treat Har- Potter and his friends. The only person who would help... I hoped." A faint flush was crawling up his cheeks and his eyes seemed unusually bright.  
  
Ginny didn't know what to say. What *was* there to say? She opened her mouth just as the Voice began to plead softly in her mind,  
  
*Please, Ginny, please help me!*  
  
Gathering her resolve, she looked into Draco's eyes and whispered,  
  
"I will." 


End file.
